Jacob and I had little difficulty in finding as much food as we needed,
after having explained why we had come into the encampment. The men were
more than willing to divide their rations with us, and we might literally
have gorged ourselves with the best in the camp had such been our desire.

It was one thing for Sergeant Corney to say that we must sleep, and quite
another for us to obey the command.

It seemed to me that my eyes were never open wider than when I threw
myself down upon the ground by the side of Jacob, striving my best to
cross over into Dreamland. The thought of attempting to force our way
through such an army as General St. Leger had under his command; of the
possibility that we might, perhaps, come across Peter Sitz; the chances
that Colonel Gansevoort would be forced to surrender even before we could
arrive with information that reinforcements were near at hand, and, in
fact, the numberless happenings which might occur to change the entire
situation, served to drive sleep so far from my eyelids that I despaired
of being able to summon it until sheer exhaustion should come.

Jacob was lying, with closed eyes, so still that I half-believed he had
succeeded in obeying Sergeant Corney's commands, and, bent on moving
around among the men in the hope of thereby changing the current of my
disagreeable thoughts, I crept softly from his side lest I awaken him.

"Where are you goin'?" he asked, quietly, in a tone which told me he had
been no nearer slumber than I.

"I cannot sleep, an' that's a fact. Perhaps after walkin' around a bit I
shall feel more like it."